CAMILLE

US, 2007, 94 minutes, Colour.
Sienna Miller, James Franco, David Carradine, Scott Glenn, Ed Lauter.
Directed by Gregory Mackenzie.

Camille is a rather loopy ghost story. It begins with a sense of realism, James Franco playing Silias, an ex-con who is engaged to the niece, Camille (Sienna Miller) of the local sheriff (Scott Glenn). He wants to get out of the United States. He can’t stand Camille. However, she is passionately in love with him and he agrees to marry her. Reluctantly they go through the ceremony and set out, going out of state, for a honeymoon at Niagara Falls. During the trip, they have a crash, Camille dies. However, she is unable to die because of her love for Silias. What follows then is a kind of road movie, they are pursued by another sheriff (Ed Lauter) who hears a report of Silias killing his fiancée. They meet up with Cowboy Bob (David Carradine in a genial role) who has coloured horses and takes them to carnivals. Eventually, they arrive at Niagara Falls, Camille beginning to decompose, Silias trying to save her – and finally being confronted by the police, shot and dying, joining Camille on one of the coloured horses, the blue horse, riding into Niagara Falls!

1. A variation on romantic comedies? Ghosts?

2. The Ohio settings, the country town, the roads and fields, Niagara Falls? Realistic locations for a surrealistic comedy? The musical score?

3. The introduction to Camille and Silias? Silias, ex-con, silent and sullen, his relationship with Sheriff Foster, Sheriff Foster supervising him? His relationship with Camille, not loving her, finding her difficult, reluctant to say yes at the marriage, finally doing it? His exasperation with Camille and her constant talking, taking instant photos? Taking refuge in having showers? Meeting with Cowboy Bob? Driving along the road, his desperation, the crash, seeing Camille die, his own injuries? Her coming to life again? Their continuing the journey? With Bob, talking, his helping them escape from the police, at the carnival, Silias working for the horse rides? Bob letting them go, driving them to Niagara Falls? Silias and his change of heart after killing Camille by accident, her decomposing, her smelling, the formaldehyde, trying to keep her alive, the red wig? Their love at Niagara Falls? On the boat, the photo, her disappearing? His desperation, the sheriff finding him, the confrontation, his getting the gun from Foster, holding him hostage, shooting in the air, his being shot, dying, seeing Camille on the horse, getting on, riding into eternity in Niagara Falls?

4. Camille, besotted with Silias? Sheriff Foster her uncle? Her clothes, manner, incessant chatter, everything being the most wonderful? Her photographs? At the wedding? On the road, her realisation that Silias didn’t love her, yet her love for him? At the motel, his escaping her? Meeting Bob, the discussion about the horses? Bob’s sympathy for them? The crash, her death, not realising it, the smell? Silias eventually telling her? Her thinking it absurd, coming to accept it? Her being shot and the bullet going through her? Painting over it? The red wig, the clothes? The escapes, the happiness at Niagara Falls, the boat, her disappearance, finally arriving on the blue horse?

5. Cowboy Bob, his life, love for the horses, their ageing and dying? Colours? His sympathetic listening, helping the couple along the road? At the carnival? Eventually taking the horses out to pasture, firing the gun, setting them free?

6. Sheriff Foster, the soft spot for Silias, his love for his niece, the confrontation with Sheriff Steiner? Going to Niagara Falls, helping Silias escape?

7. Sheriff Foster, serious, the interrogation of the woman and the child who encountered Silias, his robbing them, trying to make the phone call, saying he had killed someone? Getting Camille out of the motel, her being dead, her sneezing, the escape?

8. A film straining credibility? More than odd? Yet likable or not?